AABB
New Jersey
73
Comments
0.695
Avg Sentiment
50
Positive
17
Neutral
6
Negative
New Jersey
This puzzle has me laughing, the solves are wonderfully silly, thanks to the constructor!
I CLOVE this puzzle, thank you to Brothers Matz!
Surprised by how easy it was, but liked the illustrations -- fun to have the variety of clues.
What a fun challenging puzzle, that had me pondering such relevant questions as "I wonder if a hOGEAR is turned down? " My favorite clue was Puma or pump, thanks to the constructor!
I loved this puzzle! It's cool to see a father - daughter team, and I think of my father often when doing crossword puzzles digitally on my phone. He was an avid puzzler my whole life, and brought the family into it, passing around the half-finished puzzle in the newspaper. He passed away 20 years ago - What would he think of my experience now, being able to quickly look up trivia and share comments with a worldwide group? He would be amazed, but would likely still do his puzzles with the newspaper:)
@Super8ing I like that view, the constructor had to look up the clue, so it's valid for solvers to also look it up, very good!
On a rainy. Monday, my least favorite puzzle day, this crossword put a bright spot in my day, thanks to the constructors. A wonderful Monday puzzle, what are the odds?
@HeathieJ I think you would read it GO ON SQUAD and that fits the clue and the theme
Very clever and enjoyable puzzle, favorite clue "Sending help?". I stared at UP_ and still wasn't sure of answer, and even after filling it in, still didn't understand it right away, love that! Sam explained it, and love her tip about emphasizing other word, will remember that. Thanks to the constructors!
Now I'll never hear the words CORNBELT and LAMBCHOP without thinking of a punch! However, FRUITPUNCH did carry that connection before - I remember the old TV ad "How 'bout a nice Hawaiian Punch?" "Sure!" Then he gets clobbered and sees stars. Probably ran in the 1970s era
@Francis Yes, the SWAGE and AGONISTIC crossing was my last square to fill. To me, that's a sign of a good puzzle when it can hang you up on one final square!
@Nancy My experience was so similar, thanks for expressing it so well. This puzzle is so good that I'm not complaining about BOOMROASTED, I will not say one word about it. Thank you to the constructors, loved this puzzle so much!!
@Elissa Yes, and I wondered "Is a FLy really a bad bug?" Funny the questions that a crossword puzzle leads you to ponder, love it!
@sotto voce I agree with your sentiment - after I read about the constructor's long history and high level experience, it feels like a riteeof passage to have struggled with the puzzle and actually enjoyed it! I think that's what keeps me coming back to the NYT crossword every day, actually enjoying the struggle!
@Steve L Thanks, I had no idea about ALOP, it was my last fill. Even when I got the gold 🌟 star (first time on a Thursday!), I was surprised that the answer was correct. When it's crosswordese, also means that the word is not spoken or used often, but still appears in puzzles? I never heard ALOP before
@Steve Kass I agree, I came here to add my delight and say thanks to the constructor, surprised to see the negative comments. I loved it, somehow the odd words didn't bother me
@chef disch So funny! Thanks for pointing that out
@Ash Yes, I also had DIs and was trying to figure out what a soALIE was, or was it soApIE? I was questioning every other word before I got back to DIs
@Anita Thank you for that detailed description, I missed how clever the construction actually is -- thank you to Adam for the fun puzzle, satisfying to solve!
@Dan Thank you for this response, it was my first reaction too. Sometimes a comment can speak for itself, and doesn't need a response. I don't like seeing anyone made to feel they should have known everything, what's the point of that?
@john ezra Thank you for that history, I've been immersed in reading Rev. War history lately but didn'trealize all of that about Vermont
@Nancy. J Yes, I also really enjoyed this puzzle, and learned some new things as a bonus! Now I'll try to add "rubicund" to my vocabulary, as in "Dear, you look so rubicund. Tough crossword puzzle today?"
@Elly Zee My thoughts exactly, an evil genius, and she constructed it in one day?!! That was such a fun puzzle, tricky to realize that the word written with circles has no clue, loved the challenge!
@RozzieGrandma I agree, I came here to Comments with this same complaint. But in Sam's column I learned how clever the puzzle was with locations of TOP and LEFT etc. I had totally missed that, so I'm left with a Wow! feeling instead
@B In my solve, last two words that i filled in were PEE and JOHNS, very funny
@Nancy I agree, there were two too many clues about video games or other pop culture, but I really enjoyed the crossword otherwise, very clever and fun to solve!
@Grumpy Hi, I read that clue ads referring to gas pumps and the choice REGular as a type of gas to fill your tank with
@Lewis I liked how two pairs of long answers related to each other: HOMEMADEBREAD and HEYBATTERBATTER, also THISISNTWORKING and TAKETHEREINS, amazing puzzle!
@Extrao Yes, Bushisms appear so quaint now, like the "potatoe" misspellings
@Nancy And you didn't even mention MAGE, clued as Sorceror - never heard the word, slang for magician? I agree, theme was great but some clues were on the edge.
@Rich in Atlanta Glad you mentioned it SMH since I had not seen that either. The texting clues are not my favorite
@dutchiris Yes, that would be disappointing, "dessert sandwiches" brings all kinds of treats to mind, but not Oreos!
@Steven M. Yes, same tricky spot at NEEDLEDROP and crosses, started thinking "Sure, NEEDLEtRiP , it might be a thing". Also, thought of it as NEED___ ( plus words). Great puzzle, cluing was very sly
@Vaer And I was ready to imagine her wearing a GnAT necklace, now I know better!
@Jeanne Yes, I was looking for that time connection too. Maybe it's just time to split the word in half.
@Bonnie I agree, I smiled when I saw her name on the puzzle, this was a fun one and was sorry to end it by finishing!
@John Carson Yes, "fill in the circles" sounded so clever. How do crossword constructors handle a rejection after all that work?! It's beyond me
@M. Biggen Yes, this puzzle was a great challenge, the kind where even when I filled in an answer, I couldn't get crossing words from it.loved the challenge, was sorry when it was done.
@Lisa Yes, I think it was a little easier because it was my first gold star Saturday (had one lookup to fill in OZLEM), really enjoyed the puzzle, thanks to the constructor!
@Nancy I like the award idea, name it after an obscure character, like the "Otis" Award.
@sotto voce Yes, as soon as I see her name on a puzzle, I know I'm in good hands, thank you Rebecca!
@Don H Yes, BASIC code! My first college semester in 1978, I remember it well. I liked learning BASIC, we wrote a program to describe traffic patterns and cars queueing in a lane, if I remember
@IronicBaguette Yes, I had ANAIn at first, was willing to believe that nAHIB was just a word I had not heard!
@Charles Peterson Good catch, I hadn't noticed that - maybe the constructor was thirsty ;)
@Bonnie Yes, I had to read the Wordplay explanation twice, and only then I got it, fun puzzle !
Congrats to the new constructor, great challenging puzzle! One question, if someone can help me understand EVE answer: Clue was Good name for last-minute planner? Is it because they work on it the night before it's due? Not sure about that one.
@Andrew Great puzzle, and for me"Exam with capital E" crossing with "Pro for the pirates?" was the last open square, I went thru almost every letter! Loved the theme and the clues, look forward to more from these two collaborators.
@Nancy J. Aha, I just now understood "Rocks" for FISTS as I read your comment, goes back to game with Paper and Scissors, clever. Loved this puzzle, clues were tricky, my favorite ITSHOT
@archaeoprof Yes, that one was tricky, but my vote goes to SNIDEREMARKS. I came to Comments to hear about that clue, I was thinking about cutting line on a pattern, and "Gee, I didn't know those lines were called spider marks", I was way off, and that's the fun of it :)
@hallmachine Yes, read my comment "Under the sea" :)